City Council considers Grey Hosiery Mill proposals

Published: Monday, June 17, 2013 at 10:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, June 17, 2013 at 11:11 p.m.

Hendersonville City Council heard four proposals Monday from developers and a local business owner who want to turn a dilapidated downtown mill into an urban oasis of mixed-use development, housing or a university.

The council is set to make a decision on the proposals at 3 p.m. Thursday.

The 1915 Grey Hosiery Mill has fallen into disrepair after years of neglect. The historic property has been under the city's ownership since the 1980s and over the years has been envisioned as a conference center, a center for the arts and residential development, but those plans faltered.

Hoping the improving economy and passage of time might lead to some new ideas, the city sent out another request for proposals of the mill's redevelopment in February.

City Council asked that the ideas "be consistent with the city's 2030 Comprehensive Plan, which identifies potential land uses as hospitality, retail, restaurant, office and residential; however, the city is open to all proposals and ideas, including artistically related, educational, light industry and manufacturing."

Hendersonville Millworks

Jack White and Chris Challis of White Challis Redevelopment Company LLC proposed to renovate the old mill into a mixed-use residential historic center with 34 loft-style apartments. Site plans for "Hendersonville Millworks" also include space for commerce and Wingate University.

Pending the results of an extensive market study, the firm says up to four "flex-space units" could be used for commercial or residential units.

"Ultimate use of the space will be chosen prior to final site plan submittal, following extensive market study by the redevelopment team," according to the firm's proposal.

They plan to add four new "rowhouse" units along Fourth Avenue to "mimic the architectural style of the historic mill," with front porches and rooftop gardens.

The firm also plans to construct "15,000-17,000 square feet of office and classroom space" for Wingate University "by redeveloping the post-World War II building at the corner of Fifth Avenue East and North Grove Street."

The firm hopes to complete construction, if all goes well, in five years.

Olde Mill Place

Marie France Lachance, owner of Nonesuch House & Home at 234 N. Main St., proposed transforming the old, unused mill into a bustling marketplace and event center.

She envisions a seasonally-evolving marketplace with space for auctions, a showroom for specialty furniture or home décor, an art gallery, craft displays, a florist and event planner, a coffee shop and/or restaurant, a special event staging and rental area for events such as conventions and weddings and rental spaces for vendors and inventory sales management.

Her plan also includes a historical tribute to the Grey Hosiery Mill, Hendersonville and its people, with room for a gift shop.

Nonesuch House & Home and Imperial Dreams Florist & Event Management will occupy a building on the property. "Nonesuch is an upscale home décor/design and furnishing retailer presently located on North Main Street. Also, Imperial Dreams is a full-service floral studio and experienced event planner/coordinator," Lachance wrote in her proposal to the city.

She said parking could be open for fair-weather events, including farmers markets, and to the public for downtown events.

"A reasonable timeframe for a restoration and build-out of this size is projected to be six months for initial phases to one year for final completion. Once the remediation (lead and asbestos) is completed, we expect the project to move forward toward completion very quickly," Lachance said.

They plan to use local labor and experts to help with the project.

Grey Mill Lofts

The Landmark Group, developer of more than 85 tax-credit properties in the southeastern United States, proposed to restore the old mill into a creative haven for artists.

The group plans to renovate the historic space into a live/work housing environment for artists, etching out spaces for offices, galleries and a permanent home for the Arts Council of Henderson County.

"Within the auspices of financing criteria and market study results of the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, we proposed to develop up to 60 units of affordable live/work housing, and as much office, studio and gallery space as is needed for the Arts Council given its anticipated budget and scope," according to Landmark.

The company's plans assume completion by summer of 2015, should they be awarded available tax credits and also be able to purchase an adjacent lot on Fourth Avenue for the full site plan.

If they are not awarded tax credits, representatives of the company said Monday that the property would fall back to the city.

Wingate University-Hendersonville

Robert Englander told the council that he has been talking with Wingate University about the prospect of transforming the old mill into a new campus for the growing university and its expanded programs.

The site, if approved and accepted by Wingate, would house the university's main Hendersonville campus and its new physician's assistant program and physical therapy program.

"Wingate has indicated that it has outgrown its current location and has been seeking an additional 6,000 square feet to accommodate the growth in its pharmacy program and to bring the physician assistant's program to Hendersonville," he said in a proposal letter. "Additionally, another 4,000-6,000 (square) feet will be required to accommodate the physical therapy program when it becomes fully accredited (estimated by 2016)."

Englander told the council that they plan to use CJMW Architecture for the renovation, the firm that renovated the county's Historic Courthouse in 2006.

"It is our plan to renovate the entire mill, with the exception of Building 5, which is a later, metal-clad addition and offers little in the way of historic significance or utility. The parking lot will be graded and paved to accommodate student and faculty parking, as well as provide opportunity for future campus expansion, if needed," Englander wrote in his proposal.

He estimated that the finished project could provide about $25,000 a year to the city in taxes and hoped to have the project complete by 2015.

Councilman Jerry Smith asked Englander if parking at the site would be adequate.

No, Englander said, but he added, "I think we can find parking around this facility... That would be an issue to be determined."

He suggested the city set a 90-day deadline on the project to finalize a deal with Wingate.

<p>Hendersonville City Council heard four proposals Monday from developers and a local business owner who want to turn a dilapidated downtown mill into an urban oasis of mixed-use development, housing or a university.</p><p>The council is set to make a decision on the proposals at 3 p.m. Thursday.</p><p>The 1915 Grey Hosiery Mill has fallen into disrepair after years of neglect. The historic property has been under the city's ownership since the 1980s and over the years has been envisioned as a conference center, a center for the arts and residential development, but those plans faltered.</p><p>Hoping the improving economy and passage of time might lead to some new ideas, the city sent out another request for proposals of the mill's redevelopment in February.</p><p>City Council asked that the ideas "be consistent with the city's 2030 Comprehensive Plan, which identifies potential land uses as hospitality, retail, restaurant, office and residential; however, the city is open to all proposals and ideas, including artistically related, educational, light industry and manufacturing."</p><p><b>Hendersonville Millworks</b></p><p>Jack White and Chris Challis of White Challis Redevelopment Company LLC proposed to renovate the old mill into a mixed-use residential historic center with 34 loft-style apartments. Site plans for "Hendersonville Millworks" also include space for commerce and Wingate University.</p><p>Pending the results of an extensive market study, the firm says up to four "flex-space units" could be used for commercial or residential units.</p><p>"Ultimate use of the space will be chosen prior to final site plan submittal, following extensive market study by the redevelopment team," according to the firm's proposal. </p><p>They plan to add four new "rowhouse" units along Fourth Avenue to "mimic the architectural style of the historic mill," with front porches and rooftop gardens. </p><p>The firm also plans to construct "15,000-17,000 square feet of office and classroom space" for Wingate University "by redeveloping the post-World War II building at the corner of Fifth Avenue East and North Grove Street." </p><p>The firm hopes to complete construction, if all goes well, in five years.</p><p><b>Olde Mill Place</b/></p><p>Marie France Lachance, owner of Nonesuch House & Home at 234 N. Main St., proposed transforming the old, unused mill into a bustling marketplace and event center. </p><p>She envisions a seasonally-evolving marketplace with space for auctions, a showroom for specialty furniture or home décor, an art gallery, craft displays, a florist and event planner, a coffee shop and/or restaurant, a special event staging and rental area for events such as conventions and weddings and rental spaces for vendors and inventory sales management. </p><p>Her plan also includes a historical tribute to the Grey Hosiery Mill, Hendersonville and its people, with room for a gift shop.</p><p>Nonesuch House & Home and Imperial Dreams Florist & Event Management will occupy a building on the property. "Nonesuch is an upscale home décor/design and furnishing retailer presently located on North Main Street. Also, Imperial Dreams is a full-service floral studio and experienced event planner/coordinator," Lachance wrote in her proposal to the city. </p><p>She said parking could be open for fair-weather events, including farmers markets, and to the public for downtown events.</p><p>"A reasonable timeframe for a restoration and build-out of this size is projected to be six months for initial phases to one year for final completion. Once the remediation (lead and asbestos) is completed, we expect the project to move forward toward completion very quickly," Lachance said. </p><p>They plan to use local labor and experts to help with the project.</p><p><b>Grey Mill Lofts</b></p><p>The Landmark Group, developer of more than 85 tax-credit properties in the southeastern United States, proposed to restore the old mill into a creative haven for artists.</p><p>The group plans to renovate the historic space into a live/work housing environment for artists, etching out spaces for offices, galleries and a permanent home for the Arts Council of Henderson County.</p><p>"Within the auspices of financing criteria and market study results of the N.C. Housing Finance Agency, we proposed to develop up to 60 units of affordable live/work housing, and as much office, studio and gallery space as is needed for the Arts Council given its anticipated budget and scope," according to Landmark.</p><p>The company's plans assume completion by summer of 2015, should they be awarded available tax credits and also be able to purchase an adjacent lot on Fourth Avenue for the full site plan.</p><p>If they are not awarded tax credits, representatives of the company said Monday that the property would fall back to the city.</p><p><b>Wingate University-Hendersonville</b></p><p>Robert Englander told the council that he has been talking with Wingate University about the prospect of transforming the old mill into a new campus for the growing university and its expanded programs.</p><p>The site, if approved and accepted by Wingate, would house the university's main Hendersonville campus and its new physician's assistant program and physical therapy program. </p><p>"Wingate has indicated that it has outgrown its current location and has been seeking an additional 6,000 square feet to accommodate the growth in its pharmacy program and to bring the physician assistant's program to Hendersonville," he said in a proposal letter. "Additionally, another 4,000-6,000 (square) feet will be required to accommodate the physical therapy program when it becomes fully accredited (estimated by 2016)."</p><p>Englander told the council that they plan to use CJMW Architecture for the renovation, the firm that renovated the county's Historic Courthouse in 2006.</p><p>"It is our plan to renovate the entire mill, with the exception of Building 5, which is a later, metal-clad addition and offers little in the way of historic significance or utility. The parking lot will be graded and paved to accommodate student and faculty parking, as well as provide opportunity for future campus expansion, if needed," Englander wrote in his proposal. </p><p>He estimated that the finished project could provide about $25,000 a year to the city in taxes and hoped to have the project complete by 2015.</p><p>Councilman Jerry Smith asked Englander if parking at the site would be adequate. </p><p>No, Englander said, but he added, "I think we can find parking around this facility... That would be an issue to be determined."</p><p>He suggested the city set a 90-day deadline on the project to finalize a deal with Wingate.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>